The United Kingdom is jam-packed full of interesting places to visit. From the major-metropolis of London to Scotland’s magical highlands, there are endless places to visit that will provide you with a unique travel experience. While the Great British Pound Sterling is head and shoulders over most world currencies, visiting may be unique and interesting, but it can also be quite expensive for travelers. Most people around the world think that altogether, travel is extremely expensive, but the truth is, with some discipline and planning, travel can be quite affordable – even cheaper than one’s monthly bills of renting an apartment and paying for utility bills.

So, without further ado, here’s some random, yet important tips to saving money on your budget when traveling through the United Kingdom:

Starting from the get-go, travel can start costing you – with various hidden fees that you likely didn’t plan for ahead of time. For example, when you’re heading to the airport, if you can’t simply be dropped off or take public transport, and you need to park your car in the longterm airport parking areas, it may be worth it to look into other options or better deals (ex. Stansted parking deals).

Other hidden fees that you may run into are airline luggage fees or hotel tax fees. Always look into the fine print before booking and heading out on your trip.

Rental cars can also have a lot of off-the-wall fees and additional up-charges – it’s probably worth the time to look into their fine print as well. I was once charged for an entire tank for leaving the tank 1-2 gallons less than full.

Traveling light can save you from those airline luggage fees I talked about. At least for the first way there, you can pack light, especially if you’re planning on buying some goods from the place you’re visiting.

When you’re traveling to other cities or for example, if you’re traveling from London to Edinburgh, Scotland, it’s a good amount of distance, so looking into all of the various public transport services may help you find that there are other options that will save you money. For example: Perhaps a bus is cheaper to the Scottish border areas, then a train might be even cheaper for you from there. And now-a-days, with the cheap airlines offering very competitive rates for international/interregional flights, that also might be a good option for you to look into.

Eating out is always one of the fun and sometimes adventurous parts of traveling, but the fact is, eating out expensive – and especially in culinary capitals like London, the prices can seem exorbitant. Eat out a couple times a week if your budget allows for it, but by buying food from a little market or a street vendor, you can try local delicacies AND save a ton of money on your budget.

Trading your home currency to pounds can also make you lose some money on your budget – sometimes it’s cheaper to trade at a bank in the country you’re traveling to, rather than doing it prior to leaving at your own bank. It’s also well-known that a lot of the currency traders found in popular touristy areas are there to rob you with fees. Beware.

Very good tips indeed Brandon. On the hotel side, I would add a couple: booking your hotel with breakfast included is always a good way to keep you full of energies during the rest of the day (and also saving on other meals). Most hotels in the UK serve very generous breakfast, so don’t hesitate to pay a little bit more for your stay and enjoy a real British experience. If staying in London, look for hotels in Kensington. Properties in that area –not far from the centre- tend to be more affordable and it’s a district very well connected with the rest of the city. Also, you’ll be able to reach some sights on foot (saving on transport).

Thank you for your addition of tips! The hotel breakfast tip is an awesome tip that I forgot about. Thank you again for sharing!

Reply

Barbara

8/26/2013 02:51:43 am

Thank you for the tips ! I was in London last year for a week and it's true that it can cost a lot ! Personally I stayed in a youth hostel near the London Bridge (with breakfast included). We only used transports to go to the train station or to a very far area (Notting Hill). we also noticed a few pubs near the London Bridge that served food for a cheap price.

You are welcome. Any travel can be pricey however, London in my opinion isn't a good travel destination for the poor. haha While you can enjoy many things there on a very limited budget, it just seems as though you get a better experience if you have the money to burn.

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